Coated particles for turf infill

Abstract

The present embodiments are directed, in part, to coated particulates, methods of preparing thereof, and methods of using the same, for example, as turf infill.

1 . A coated particulate for a turf infill comprising a core, wherein the core is substantially covered with one or more layers of polymer coatings, wherein the polymer coating is selected from a polyurethane coating, an epoxy coating, a phenolic coating, a polyurethane-phenol coating, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         2 . The coated particulate of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer coating is a polyurethane coating, optionally wherein the polyurethane coating is homogenous. 
     
     
         3 . The coated particulate of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer coating is coupled to the core through a coupling agent. 
     
     
         4 - 156 . (canceled) 
     
     
         157 . The coated particulate of  claim 3 , wherein the coupling agent comprises a silane coupling agent, optionally wherein the silane coupling agent comprises an organofunctional silane coupling agent selected from 3-glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, 3-glycidyloxypropyltriethoxysilane, 2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexy)ethyltrimethoxysilane, and 2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethyltriethoxysilane, 3-[2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethylamino]propyl-trimethoxysilane (CAS No. 35141-30-1), 3-mercaptopropyl-trimethoxysilane (CAS No. 4420-74-0), n-propyltrimethoxysilane (CAS No. 1067-25-0), [3-(2-aminoethyl)aminopropyl]trimethoxysilane (CAS No. 1760-24-3), silane n-dodecyltrimethoxysilane (CAS No. 3069-21-4), bis(trimethoxysilylpropyl) amine (CAS No. 82985-35-1), 1,2-bis(trimethoxysilyl)ethane (CAS No. 18406-41-2), vinyltri(2-methoxyethoxy) silane (CAS No. 1067-53-4), n-octyltriethoxysilane (CAS No. 2943-75-1), bis[3-(triethoxysilyl) propyl]tetrasulfide (CAS No. 40372-72-3), vinyltriethoxysilane (CAS No. 78-08-0): 3-glycidoxypropyl-trimethoxysilane (CAS No. 2530-83-8), 3-(Triethoxysilyl)propyl isocyanate, 3-mercaptopropyl-triethoxysilane (CAS No. 14814-09-6), 3-glycidoxypropyl-triethoxysilane (CAS No. 2602-34-8), 2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethyl[trimethoxysilane (CAS No. 3388-04-3), 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (CAS No. 13822-56-5), 2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethyl]triethoxysilane (CAS No. 10217-34-2), 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (CAS No. 919-30-2), 3-glycidoxypropyl-methyldimethoxysilane (CAS No. 65799-47-5), bis(triethoxysilylpropyl)amine (CAS No. 13497-18-2), 3-(2-aminoethylamino)propyldimethoxymethylsilane (CAS No. 3069-29-2), N-(n-Butyl)-3-aminopropyltri-methoxysilane (CAS NO. 31024-56-3), n-propyltriethoxysilane (CAS No. 2550-02-9), vinyltrimethoxysilane (CAS No. 2768-02-7), 3-ureidopropyltriethoxy-silane (CAS No. 23779-32-0), 3-methacryloxypropyl-trimethoxysilane (CAS No. 2530-85-0), aqueous 3-aminopropylsilane hydrolysate, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         158 . The coated particulate of  claim 2 , wherein the polyurethane coating is formed from a reaction of an isocyanate component and an isocyanate reactive blend. 
     
     
         159 . The coated particulate of  claim 158 , wherein the isocyanate component comprises a cycloaliphatic isocyanate, an aliphatic isocyanate, or an aromatic isocyanate, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         160 . The coated particulate of  claim 158 , wherein the isocyanate component comprises toluol-2,4-diisocyanate; toluol-2,6-diisocyanate (TDI); 1,5 naphthalindiisocyanate; cumol-2,4-diisocyanate; 4-methoxy-1,3-phenyldiisocyanate; 4-chloro-1,3-phenyldiisocyanate; diphenylmethane-4,4-diisocyanate; diphenylmethane-2,4-diisocyanate; diphenylmethane-2,2-diisocyanate; 4-bromo-1,3-phenyldiisocyanate; 4-ethoxy-1,3-phenyl-diisocyanate; 2,4′-diisocyanate diphenylether; 5,6-dimethyl-1,3-phenyl-diisocyanate; methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (including 2,2′-MDI, 2,4′-MDI and 4,4″-MDI); 4,4 diisocyanato-diphenylether; 4,6-dimethyl-1,3-phenyldiisocyanate; 9,10-anthracene-diisocyanate; 2,4,6-toluol triisocyanate; 2,4,4′-triisocyanatodiphenylether; 1,4-tetramethylene diisocyanate; 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI); 1,10-decamethylene-diisocyanate; 1,3-cyclohexylene diisocyanate; 4,4′ methylene-bis-(cyclohexylisocyanate); xylol diisocyanate; 1-isocyanato-3-methyl-isocyanate-3,5,5-trimethylcyclohexane (isophorone diisocyanate); 1-3-bis(isocyanato-1-methylethyl) benzol (m-TMXDI); 1,4 bis(isocyanato-1-methylethyl) benzol (p-TMXDI), isocyanurate-modified hexamethylene diisocyanate, 1,3,5-tris(6-isocyanatohexyl)biuret (hexamethylene diisocyanate biuret), hexamethylene diisocyanate trimer, or an oligomer or polymer thereof, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         161 . The coated particulate of  claim 159 , wherein the aliphatic isocyanate comprises:
 i. an isocyanate terminated polypropylene glycol prepolymer based on hydrogenated 4,4′ methylenebis diisocyanate (HMDI), optionally wherein the isocyanate terminated polypropylene glycol prepolymer based on hydrogenated 4,4′ methylenebis diisocyanate (HMDI) is BASF Lupranate 5570;   ii. an isocyanurate-modified hexamethylene diisocyanate or an oligomer or polymer thereof, optionally wherein the isocyanurate-modified hexamethylene diisocyanate or an oligomer or polymer thereof is BASF Basonat® HI 2000 NG;   iii. 1,3,5-tris(6-isocyanatohexyl)biuret or an oligomer or polymer thereof, optionally wherein the 1,3,5-tris(6-isocyanatohexyl)biuret or an oligomer or polymer thereof is Tolonate™ HDB-LV; or   iv. hexamethylene diisocyanate trimer or an oligomer or polymer thereof, optionally wherein the hexamethylene diisocyanate trimer or an oligomer or polymer thereof is Tolonate™ HDT-LV.   
     
     
         162 . The coated particulate of  claim 158 , wherein the isocyanate component comprises:
 i. a polymeric MDI isocyanate, optionally wherein the polymeric MDI isocyanate is Dow HF-459, Dow PAPI™ 27; or   ii. a low viscosity polymeric MDI isocyanate, optionally wherein the low viscosity polymeric MDI isocyanate is BASF Lupranate M20.   
     
     
         163 . The coated particulate of  claim 158 , wherein the isocyanate reactive blend comprises
 i. a polyether polyol, optionally wherein the polyether polyol is Albodur 1055 or Dow TERAFORCE 62575;   ii. a low molecular weight polyol, optionally wherein the low molecular weight polyol is 1,4-butanediol or glycerin; or   iii. a polyol derived from cashew nutshell liquid, optionally wherein the polyol derived from cashew nut shell liquid is a polyether-polyester polyol or a branched polyether-polyester polyol and optionally the polyol derived from cashew nut shell liquid is a Cardolite® NX-9014.   
     
     
         164 . The coated particulate of  claim 158 , wherein the isocyanate reactive blend further comprises a colorant selected from a green colorant, a yellow colorant, a back colorant, a red colorant, a blue colorant, magenta colorant, a white colorant and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         165 . The coated particulate of  claim 158 , wherein the isocyanate reactive blend further comprises a polyurethane catalyst, optionally wherein the polyurethane catalyst is dibutyltin dilaurate (Dabco T-12) or dimethyltin (TIB Kat®300); or a UV stabilizer, optionally wherein the UV stabilizer is a hindered amine light stabilizer, benzophenone, benzotriazoie, hydroxyphenyl triazine, 2-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)benzotriazoles, Uvinol 3000, Tinuvin® P, Irganox 1098, Uvinol 3008, Lavinix, BHT, Tinuvin® 384-2, Tinuvin® 320, Tinuvin® 292 Irganox 1010, Irganox 1076, Irganox 1135, or Irgafos 168, or a combination thereof and optionally wherein the UV stabilizer is a solvent-free, liquid blend of a 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-benzotriazole UV absorber (UVA) and a basic hindered amine light stabilizer (HALS) and optionally wherein the UV stabilizer is BASF Tinuvin® 5050 or BASF Tinuvin® 384-2. 
     
     
         166 . The coated particulate of  claim 1 , wherein the core is a sand particle, a quartz sand, a bauxite particle, a ceramic particle, a rubber particle, an elastomeric particle, or a polymeric particle. 
     
     
         167 . A composition comprising two or more types of coated particulates, wherein each coated particulate is, independently, a particulate of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         168 . A method of producing the polyurethane coated particulates of  claim 1  comprising:
 a. heating particulates in an oven, optionally wherein the particulates are heated in the oven to a temperature from about 60° C. to about 210° C. and optionally wherein the particulates are heated to a temperature of about 80° C., about 88° C., about 93, about 104, about 107° C., about 110° C. or about 150° C.; 
 b. transferring the heated particulates to a mixer, optionally wherein the mixer is a Webac mixer; 
 c. adding the coupling agent into the mixer, optionally wherein the coupling agent in are added when the temperature of the particulates is from about 80° C. to about 150° C. and optionally wherein the coupling agent is added when the temperature of the particulates is about 93° C. or 110° C.; 
 d. adding the isocyanate reactive blend into the mixer, optionally wherein the isocyanate reactive blend is added after a second to about 15 seconds from the start of the addition of the coupling agent, and optionally wherein the isocyanate reactive blend is added over a period of about 10 seconds; 
 e. adding the isocyanate component into the mixer, optionally wherein the isocyanate component is added after about 20 seconds from the start of the addition of the coupling agent and optionally wherein the isocyanate component is added over a period of about 10 seconds; and 
 f. optionally adding the additive into the mixer to produce the polyurethane coated particulates, optionally wherein the additive is added after 0 second to about 35 seconds from the start of the addition of the coupling agent, optionally wherein the isocyanate component is added over a period of about 5 seconds, optionally the coated particulates are discharged after mixing in the mixer for about 30 seconds to 5 minutes, optionally wherein the coated particulates are discharged into a pan and allowed to cool, and optionally wherein the coated particulates are dry and free flowing coated particulates; 
 wherein the method optionally further comprises repeating steps d) to f) to add one or more additional polyurethane coatings 
 
     
     
         169 . A method of producing coated particulates of  claim 1  comprising:
 a. feeding heated particulates into an inlet of a first mixer, the first mixer comprising an outer wall and at least one auger comprising a rotating shaft and a plurality of paddles connected thereto, wherein the at least one auger of the first mixer is rotating at a rate to form an annulus of particulates positioned along the interior surface of the outer wall of the first mixer and moving the particulates towards an outlet of the first mixer, optionally wherein the at least one auger rotates at a rate of about 60 rotations per minute (RPM) to about 1200 RPM, and optionally wherein the particulates move from the inlet to the outlet in an average time from about 2 seconds to about 15 seconds; 
 b. mixing the annulus of particulates with coating compositions that are fed into the mixer through dosing ports operably connected to the first mixer; 
 c. discharging the coated particulates through the outlet to the second mixer; 
 d. mixing the annulus of particulates with coating compositions that are fed into the mixer through dosing ports operably connected to the first mixer; and 
 e. discharging the coated particulates through the outlet, optionally wherein the particulates are discharged from the outlet at an average rate of about 100 pounds per minute to about 6000 pounds of particulates per minute; and 
 optionally wherein the first mixer further comprises at least a second dosing port operably connected to the mixer. 
 
     
     
         170 . A method of producing coated particulates of  claim 1  comprising:
 a. optionally heating particulates to a first temperature; 
 b. feeding the optionally heated particulates into an inlet of the first mixer, wherein the first mixer comprises an outer wall and an auger comprising a rotating shaft and multiple paddles connected thereto, wherein the auger is rotating at a rate of about 60 rotations per minute to about 1200 rotations per minute,
 wherein the auger moves a plurality of the particulates into an annulus positioned along the outer wall; 
 wherein the auger is capable of moving the particulates towards an outlet of the first mixer in an average time from about 2 seconds to about 20 seconds; 
 
 c. optionally heating a coating composition to a second temperature, wherein the second temperature is higher than the melting point of the coating composition; 
 d. feeding the coating composition into at least a first dosing port of the first mixer with or without a gas, wherein the coating composition mixes with the particulates in the rotating mixer, and wherein the coating composition coats the particulates as they move towards the outlet; and 
 e. collecting the coated particulates as the coated particulates are discharged from the outlet; 
 
     
     
         171 . An artificial turf comprising the coated particulate of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         172 . An artificial turf, comprising:
 a backing having pile fibers extending upwardly therefrom; and   a filler of coated particulate of  claim 1 , and wherein the pile fibers extend substantially above the infill material.   
     
     
         173 . A method of forming an artificial turf comprising:
 placing an aggregate infill material onto a backing,   wherein the backing has pile fibers secured thereto and extending upwardly above the infill material and wherein the aggregate infill material comprises the coated particulates  claim 1 .